Mid-Mission Downtime

[chases_aliens]

1. [Dita's crying in the hangar, curled up in her dread. Come bother her?]

2. [Much later]

[Dita's working on cooking. She has a tear-stained cheeks but she's making food. Each bento is labeled for her friends. Is... she making a goodbye gift for everyone?]

Comments

[coolblueiceman]

[A decided lack of seeing Dita after her mission worries Chrono a bit; his search eventually brings him to Dita's Dread with a worried expression.]

Dita... what happened out there? I've never seen you like this, and that bothers me.

[chases_aliens]

Chrono... [And she threw her arms around him.] I'm just... it's terrible. The harvesters are here and we knew it would happen and yet...!

[coolblueiceman]

[It's a testament to how far Chrono's come that he doesn't immediately recoil to escape; he tenses for a moment but eases up just after.] Slow down, Dita. I need you to explain. What are the 'Harvesters', and what are they doing? And why can't we just break through them against all reason, like all of us normally do? [And why is this normal to me!?]

[chases_aliens]

[Dita sniffled and pulled back a little.] They're... from the Planet Earth, 100 years from now. They're here to harvest humanity for their organs, skin, blood, spinal cords, even reproductive organs. They need it to survive.

We discovered this a while ago while working on a way to decode their primary objective... And they've killed countless colony worlds in their quest to remain alive...!

[coolblueiceman]

That's barbaric...! Even if it's vital to their survival, we can't just let that happen. Civilized races can't kill each other for their own needs. It's not sustainable, and it's not right.

...We're going to fight them, right? Normally I wouldn't approve of violence so quickly, but there's no helping it here.

[chases_aliens]

Yes, we're going to fight. We're looking for the Harvester Mothership now. We're going to bring the fight to them.

[Dita shook her head.] It's okay to be provoked into violence because they're an automated fleet. There's no one piloting them at all.

[coolblueiceman]

[Chrono's eyes narrow.] And they're cowards too. I can't let this go. Dita, I swore an oath to protect the innocent. I'm not a man to go back on my word. We're behind you. Whatever it takes.

...There's got to be something else, though. You wouldn't break down over the monster of the week. Between all of us we turn almost anything into a fine paste. Is there more, or am I overreacting?

[chases_aliens]

It's... not just that... Captain Magno is debating on leaving... once we defeat this Harvester Mothership. We might go back to Mejire.

[coolblueiceman]

...oh. Yeah, that's a problem. I can think of a few workarounds, but before that, you seriously need to consider:

Do you want to go back?

[chases_aliens]

[Dita considered this. She had been asked this question a few times.]

No... I don't want to go back. Not yet. There's too much I need to do here first.

[coolblueiceman]

Then stay with us. We'll find a way. Is it just that you can't leave the Nirvana, or do you not want to leave them alone? [Chrono's aware he's not in the loop just yet, and is trying to formulate a plan.]

[chases_aliens]

I worry about both groups, like they were my own family... They are my family.

[coolblueiceman]

Hmm... Well, the most obvious solution is the Nirvana to stay here, but of course your captain wants to leave, so that's out. I can't and won't ask you to pick one or the other; having to pick is... too cruel.

Maybe an opportunity will present itself during our sortie. That's all I've got for now.

[chases_aliens]

That's what we're hoping for. There's got to be a solution somewhere.